


If You Do It Right, It Is Sublime

by Chash



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-29
Updated: 2015-08-29
Packaged: 2018-04-17 22:14:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4683305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chash/pseuds/Chash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone is convinced that Bellamy and Clarke should be dating; they aren't sure how no one has noticed they already are.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If You Do It Right, It Is Sublime

**Author's Note:**

> There was a secret dating post on tumblr and it made me wanna do a thing.

Bellamy starts dating Clarke Griffin within two hours of meeting her, because he's not an _idiot_. They get into a really heated argument about Octavia's new boyfriend--Bellamy taking the _he is too old for her_ side with Clarke on _she is an adult and you are being a dick_ \--basically immediately, and he's having so much fun with it that he doesn't even notice Octavia slipping out of the apartment for her date.

"I think she might have planned this," he tells Clarke, with a smile.

Clarke snorts. "She did say if I ever met you, we were going to either murder each other or get married."

"Immediately?" he asks. "Was she envisioning either a homicide or a shotgun wedding?"

"Ideally both," says Clarke.

He laughs. "You did just describe my dream date." And then, because, honestly, arguing with her was kind of awesome, and she's gorgeous, he says, "Or we could just go on a regular date?"

"Yeah?"

"If you want, yeah."

She ducks her head. "Sure, I'd like that."

So they go to the Thai place around the corner and get to know each other. He finds out Clarke likes stealing from his plate, which is more endearing than annoying, that she's bisexual, that she's getting her masters in psychology and wants to work with kids. He already knew, from Octavia, that her family is rich but she doesn't really talk to them anymore, and that she's living in Octavia's crappy apartment because not talking to them also means not having access to their money.

He'd assumed, from Octavia's stories, that she was smart and funny and badass, and he confirms that she's all that and more.

He tries to give her a quick, first-date kiss after, but she catches the front of his shirt and keeps him there, and they make out for a few minutes against his car instead. When she pulls back, he lets himself reach out and tidy her hair where he's mussed it, unable to keep a silly grin off his face.

"Octavia's going to be insufferable," he says.

"I think we'll get by somehow," Clarke replies. She pecks him on the cheek, dry and chaste. "If you don't call me, I'm switching to murder."

He laughs. "Yeah, don't worry. I'm going to call."

He doesn't even get a chance, though; Clarke texts him that night with, _I tried to tell Octavia but she went off on a giant rant about how she knew we'd never stop arguing and she couldn't wait to see you murder me and it was just too hilarious. Oops._

 _Leaving me all the cleanup, huh?_ he texts back. He's grinning again, but in the privacy of his own bedroom, so no one ever has to know.

_She'll figure it out eventually, right?_

_Absolutely. Also, are you free on Tuesday?_

*

But Octavia _doesn't_ figure it out. That's the really amazing part. Bellamy starts hanging out with them more, because Clarke's there, and he is genuinely, kind of scarily, crazy about her, even though it hasn't been that long. Octavia has somehow become convinced that Bellamy is nursing a tragic, unrequited crush on her roommate, and regularly tells him that he should just suck it up and make a move, because, "Really, Bell, she totally doesn't hate you!" and Bellamy wonders how exactly she hasn't noticed that he and Clarke have been together for two months.

"Well, she probably assumes we would have told her," Clarke says. She's lying on his chest, drawing idle patterns on his side with her fingertips. 

"Which we probably should."

"They're _betting on us_ ," Clarke says.

"And Octavia has this whole fucking narrative about how I'm pathetically pining for you and sleeping with other girls to drown my pain."

"Which is what she thinks you're doing right now."

"We don't really send each other _I'm getting laid right now_ texts. This is the kind of thing you'd know is creepy if you had siblings."

"I still know it's creepy," she says brightly. She yawns and noses his neck. "We'll tell them eventually. They're just so _smug_ about it. Like, every time I smile at you Raven shoots me this _you're gonna hit that, why are you even denying it_ look, and I never even have!"

"And you're hitting this."

"Of course I am, you're awesome." She says it so easily it makes him flush, which is ridiculous, given they're naked it bed together and just had sex. And have been having sex for two months. But--he's never liked any of his girlfriends as much as he likes Clarke, and he really wants her to feel the same. 

The best part is, he thinks she does. But they don't talk about it that much.

Mostly they talk about how their friends are ridiculous and what they're going to do about it, because--they have to tell them eventually, right? It's getting kind of serious.

"We should get our hands on their--they have a bet masterlist, right?"

"I think it's a google doc," says Clarke. "Monty made it as part of his ten-step plan to date your friend Miller."

"What is with our friends, seriously? You know what the ten-step plan to dating someone is? It's one step: you ask them out. If they say yes, you're dating them. If they don't, you're done."

"You're very wise." She yawns again and he assumes this is when she says she has to go, but she snuggles closer instead. "They'll figure it out eventually, right?"

"You're sleeping here?" he asks, smiling.

"Octavia's with Lincoln, so, yeah."

"If we told them, you could just tell her you were sleeping here."

"Like I said, they have to figure it out eventually."

He laughs. "You would think."

*

"Okay, important announcement," says Octavia. They're at her and Clarke's apartment; Clarke has her feet in Bellamy's lap, and Monty is nudging Raven like it's a huge deal. "I don't want to alarm you guys, but--Clarke Griffin has a _secret girlfriend_."

Everyone turns to stare at Clarke, and him by extension, because, again, her feet are in his lap. It's hard to just look at one of them. Bellamy raises his eyebrows at her, and she rolls her eyes.

"I do?" she asks Octavia.

"You were out all night. You _never_ sleep over unless it's serious."

"I didn't feel like coming home," says Clarke, shrugging.

"You don't have any new hair-care products, so whoever it is is just borrowing yours. Therefore, girl."

"What, guys can't use Herbal Essences?" asks Clarke. "Don't let marketing fool you, O. Besides, they haven't come over yet. We're taking it slow, because I knew you guys would be weird about it."

It's all technically _true_ ; Bellamy doesn't sleep over here, for obvious reasons. And they're going slow in the sense that they haven't told anyone and he hasn't done something stupid, like asking her to marry him, even though he's pretty sure he loves her.

He also hasn't told her that. Slow.

"So slow you aren't even going to give us a name? Or a gender?" Octavia demands. "Come on, Clarke!"

"It's a guy," she says. "And--I really like him, okay?" Her voice is soft, a little shy, and Bellamy's heart rate speeds up. "I don't want to jinx it."

"Tell u--" Octavia starts, but Raven elbows her with a significant look at Bellamy. "I mean, um. We'll be happy to hear about it when you're ready."

He rolls his eyes. "Seriously, I am not going to die of heartbreak if I hear about Clarke's new boyfriend. You guys are way too invested in our potential relationship. It's weird." He nudges Clarke with his foot. "I'm glad you're dating someone you like. You should tell us about him whenever you want to." And then he grins. "But really, he's not hotter than me, right?"

Clarke laughs and pats him on the shoulder. "You know no one's hotter than you are, Bellamy."

*

"So, I think you should start dating."

Bellamy chokes on his coffee. He hadn't really known what he was expecting when Octavia told him she wanted to get breakfast; maybe going in together on a birthday present for their mom again? That's coming up. But apparently not.

"What?" he asks.

"Look, obviously I really wanted you and Clarke to happen--"

"Which is, as always, weird," he says.

"But she told me more about this guy she's seeing and it sounds like it's really serious."

He wets his lips. "Yeah? What did she say?"

The look she gives him would be kind of offensive, if he was actually pining away with tragic love for Clarke. His little sister has never looked like she feels worse for him. "Bell--"

"Again, I promise, you are not going to break my heart here. I like Clarke, O. She's awesome. If she likes this guy, I'm glad."

Octavia plays with the handle on her coffee cup. "I dunno. She's always kind of private about this stuff, but--she said he's funny and smart and he makes her happy. She was _blushing_. She said she's going to start spending more nights at his place, now that I figured it out. I just think maybe--it's been a while since you dated anyone, and you totally started hanging out with us because you like Clarke, so--"

He scrubs his face. "If I meet anyone I like, I'll date them, O. I haven't been turning girls down because I've got this tragic, unrequited thing for Clarke. I'm doing fine."

"Okay, but--I think you'd really get along with my coworker, Echo?"

He's glad he's not eating or drinking anything, because he'd probably actually choke to _death_. "What?"

"She's really cool! She's a black belt, obviously--"

"You're a karate instructor, all your coworkers are black belts."

"She brews her own beer, and she loves dogs!"

"I really don't need you setting me up on dates. Again, I'm fine."

"You haven't been on a date in months!"

"That's not true."

"Okay, but none of them have gone anywhere. I want to see you happy with someone, Bell. What if Clarke starts bringing her boyfriend to stuff? She's going to. She's really into this guy."

"I'm happy," he tells her. "Really." He grins. "But I appreciate your concern. I promise, if I ever start feeling pathetic and alone, you'll be the first to know."

She doesn't really look convinced, but he figures it's the best he can do. Other than telling her he's been dating Clarke basically since he met her. But, really, if she hasn't noticed yet, she doesn't deserve to know.

*

Octavia brings Echo to their trivia night, and he can actually see the effort Clarke is putting into not falling over laughing. They'd sort of seen this coming--that's why he'd told Clarke in the first place, and also because it's _hilarious_ \--but it's still, just--

Okay, probably they should just confess. But it's kind of amazing at this point. They still haven't actually _lied_ about anything. No one has actually asked if they're dating each other.

Until Echo.

"So," she says, when he's walking her home. Octavia _insisted_. "You're dating the blonde? Clarke?"

"Yeah."

"Your sister said she had a boyfriend."

"She does."

"And that you're heartbroken about it."

"No, I'm pretty pumped about it." He rubs the back of his neck. "I'm really sorry. I told her I wasn't looking for anything and she shouldn't set us up. I should have realized that wouldn't be enough."

"Is there a reason you haven't just told her you're dating her roommate?"

"It's been going for so long at this point we're just kind of morbidly curious when they're going to notice, honestly. They have a pool going on when one of us will finally make a move, and I did it literally the night we met."

"They have money on it?"

"We tried to tell O a couple times the first week but she already had the narrative figured out, and got all her friends in on it, so--" He shrugs. "If nothing else, I assume they'll figure it out at the wedding."

Echo cackles, and he has to admit, if he wasn't in a serious relationship, she would be his type. Octavia does know what he likes in a woman.

"I'd probably do the same thing, honestly," she says.

"Right? They're fucking ridiculous."

Octavia calls the next day and says, "Echo thought you were cool, but she thinks you're hung up on Clarke. _Everyone_ thinks you're hung up on Clarke."

"Thanks for the update."

*

In the end, they're making out on Bellamy's couch when Octavia unlocks the door and says, "Oh good, you're here. I forgot my key and Clarke's--"

They heard the door soon enough that Clarke scrambled out of his lap, but he couldn't find his shirt, and even if he could, there is no real explanation for why she's hanging out with him while she's supposed to be on a date, aside from the obvious.

Or so he thinks. But Octavia says, "Oh my god, are you cheating on your boyfriend with _my brother_? Because, like, I wanted you guys to hook up, but--"

Clarke dissolves into laughter on Bellamy's shoulder, and he pats her on the back.

Octavia is frowning at them, but it still seems like she doesn't _get it_.

"How is it," he asks, "they're all so convinced we're going to date and so bad at noticing we're dating?"

" _What?_ " Octavia demands.

"Yeah, uh," Clarke says, recovering enough to speak. "This is my boyfriend, Bellamy. We've been going out for three months, he asked me out after we got in a fight about his sister--"

"Oh my God," Octavia says. She grabs Clarke's bag. "I am taking your key, going home, calling all our friends, and we are going to _murder you guys_."

"You never asked!" Bellamy protests, pulling his shirt on. He glances at Clarke. "Should we just give her a ride back? She can yell at us in the car."

Clarke sighs. "I guess it's more efficient."

Octavia sits in the back seat and glares at her phone pretty much non-stop. He assumes she's texting literally everyone they know to tell them that he and Clarke are dead to her.

"Three months?" Octavia finally asks.

"He asked me out the night we met," says Clarke. "Everything I told you about my boyfriend was totally true. I just never told you it was Bellamy."

"We were going to," he adds, before Octavia can respond. "But you guys were so fucking ridiculous about it."

"Just because--" She crosses her arms with a huff. "We thought you guys would be _happy_. That's all we wanted."

Clarke smiles at Bellamy, and his stupid heart stutters. "We are happy," she says, reaching over to squeeze his hand on the steering wheel. "Right?"

"Right," he says.

*

"Three months," Raven says. It's the next night, and they're all at Clarke and Octavia's. Clarke is sitting in Bellamy's lap. He mostly didn't care about keeping the secret, it was more fun than annoying, but--yeah, he really likes being able to touch her around their friends. Or touch her more.

"I never said you guys were _wrong_ about me and Bellamy being a good match," she says, smiling up at him. 

"Bellamy said he--"

"All I said was I wasn't in tragic, unrequited love with Clarke," he says.

"And he's not, he's in happy, requited love with me."

Bellamy turns bright red, and Raven whoops. "Okay, so they've been going out for three months, but that was definitely the first time she said she loved him."

"I didn't even really say it," Clarke says. "But sure, if someone bet on today for _Clarke confesses her love to Bellamy_ , you can take the money. We have been fucking with you guys for three months. You can take this one."

Monty and Miller pull up the spreadsheet--google doc, as expected--and everyone crowds around to check their bets.

Bellamy tugs Clarke closer. "That wasn't much of a confession."

"It wasn't supposed to be," she says. "I do, though. Love you."

"Not a lot better."

"Yeah, I saw your face. You cannot possibly convince me you're disappointed here."

He nuzzles her hair. "I love you too."

"So it wasn't just the sneaking around?" she teases.

"We were barely even sneaking."

"God, they're fucking nauseating," Raven says, and Bellamy looks up to see everyone watching them. "Why did we want this again?"

"Sorry, cat's out of the bag," Clarke says, settling back against his chest, unrepentant. "This is what you wanted, remember?"

"Yeah, never mind. I regret everything," says Raven, but her eyes are twinkling.

"Speak for yourself," Clarke says, smiling up at him. "Best three months I've ever had."

Honestly, Bellamy's got to agree.


End file.
